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(Nb Model.)

P. A. PRICE. ELECTRIC VALVE CONTROLLER AND THERMOSTAT COMBINED. No. 354,932. Patented Dec; 28. 1886.

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FRED A. PRICE, OF JAMESTOVVN, NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC VALVE-CONTROLLER AND THERMOSTAT COMBINED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 354,932, dated December 28, 1886.

Application filed March 25, 1886. Serial No. 196,446. (No model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRED A. PRICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jamestown, in the county of Chautauqua and'Statc of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Valve-Controller and Thermostat Combined, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The object of this invention is to automatically regulate the temperature of buildings by controlling the supply of hydrocarbon or natural gas, either in the main supply-pipe leading to the meter or in any of the-rooms in which this combustible is used, the whole to.

be operated by a thermostat and an electrical apparatus capable of adjustment to any de gree. I attain this object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of the electrical apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention to control a valve, shown in a pipe having its side broken away. Fig. 2 is a side View of the thermostat used with the apparatus. 'Fig. 3 is a front view of the thermostat.

In the drawings, A represents the supplypipe to convey gas from the main line to the usual meter, B, or to stoves, burners, &c. The bore of the pipe A is reduced in a portion of its length, as shown at a; but said opening is yet generally slightly larger than the discharge-opening from themeter. Transversely across the opening a there is a sliding valve, 0, adapted to nearly close, or even close entirely, the opening a under certain conditions, hereinafter described. This valve has a stem, 0, that passes through a stuffing-box, A projecting from the under side of the pipe A, the stuffing-box being to prevent the escape of gas at that point. The lower end of the valvestem 0 is screw-threaded, and is adj ustabl y connected with one end of the lever D by means of nuts 0 and c, placed upon said stem above and under the lever D. Thislever is pivoted upon the ends of pointed screws 6, projecting inwardly from the posts or frame E, and carries the armature D of el'ectro-magnets F, that are isolated from the base of the frame E, although secured thereto.

The lever D extends in the rear of the armathermostat.

ture, and the extent of its vertical oscillation is regulated by screws g and g. The screw 9 passes through an arm, E, projecting from the side of the frame E, and extends above the rear portion of the lever D, while the screwy passes through the rear portion of the frame E, and is adapted to bear against the under side of the lever D. Each screw 9 and g has an adjusting jam-nut to retain it immovably after it is set or its point made to project the proper distance to regulate the amount of oscillation of the lever D. To the front portion of this lever, adjacent to thevalve-stem, is secured one end of a coil-spring, h, the lower end of which is attached to a screw, it, projecting upward from the base of the frame E, the object of the spring it being to pull the valve 0 open and counteract the effect of the electro-magnet.

To automatically regulate the action of this valvecontrolling machine, it is connected by the wires :0 g with an ordinary battery and a (Shown in Figs. 2 and 3.) The latter consists of an air-tight metallic box, I, the front plate, 1', of which is very thin and flexible. To this front plate is secured a bridge-piece, K, of wood or other non-conducting material,through the center of which passes a screw, 70, to the head of which is secured one of the wires of the battery, while the other wire is secured to the rear 'plate or to the body of the thermostat. The screw is is so set within its bearing in the bridge K that its point is at ordinary temperature nearly in contact with the front plate, t, and any excess of temperature will cause the air, in the box I to expand, force theplate t in contact with the point of the screw It, and complete the circuit,

causing the magnet to pull-down its armature and the valve to nearly close the passage in the supply-pipe. As it is generally preferred that the gas should not be entirely shutoff, but the supply be simply reduced, a small opening is maintained, either by having a small groove in the end of the valve 0 or by suitably adjusting the nuts 0 0 upon its stem.

To set the thermostat at any desired degree of temperature and make that temperature apparent upon the apparatus, the front plate, t, has a series of degrees, t", marked thereon, and the screw it has secured upon it by frictional contact a handle, If, so that the position of the point of the screw is can be adjusted relatively to the front plate, 1', independently of the handle mounted thereon and the thermostat set to any degree desired.

I am aware that the length of devices operating the valve of water-closet tanks and other devices has been regulated by means of nuts upon a screw-threaded rod, and I do not claim devices of this nature.

Having 110w fully described my invention, I claim 1. In a gas-regulator, the combination of a I supply-pipe, a valve-seat therein, a valve having a stem projecting from said supplypipe, a pivoted lever having one end connected to said valve-stem and carrying an armature and controlling-screws at the other end, with an electro-magnet and a thermostat provided with an adjustable screw, it, and a FRED A. PRICE.

Witnesses:

JEROME B. FISHER, ALBERT GILBERT, Jr. 

